Gary Van Duinen: Dee Why RSL’s record penalty after gambler’s death
Gary Van Duinen was a pokie addict — who gambled more than $3.7 million in just two years — and was wined and dined by Dee Why RSL to keep playing. But now authorities have slapped the club with a record six-figure penalty.
Manly
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The suicide of a pokie addict — who gambled more than $3.7 million in just two years — has led authorities to hit a northern beaches RSL club with a $200,000 penalty.
Gary Van Duinen, 45, died in June 2018 after he went on a losing poker machine binge at Dee Why RSL.
The Cromer builder’s body was found near Narrabeen Lagoon six days later.
The NSW independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) has ordered the club to pay $200,000 in fines and costs after Mr Van Duinen’s death revealed its “irresponsible gambling practices”.
After his death, Liquor and Gaming NSW undertook a detailed investigation which found the club’s conduct was “likely to encourage the misuse and abuse of gambling activities”.
It found that the club wined and dined Mr Van Duinen while ignoring his serious gambling addiction.
Mr Van Duinen, who was a “diamond” member of the RSL’s rewards program, had gambled more than $3.7 million, or an average of $22,333 per visit, losing a total of $230,000, in the two years before his death.
He played an average of close to six hours each time he went to the club — 170 times in 24 months. Some sessions lasted up to 13 hours.
Mr Van Duinen’s diamond membership entitled him to VIP parking, private red-carpet entry, personalised hosting, a priority paging service on the gaming floor and accrual of reward points to spend on food, beverages and other benefits.
After its investigation, Liquor and Gaming NSW lodged a formal disciplinary complaint with ILGA.
As well as the $200,000 penalty — the biggest ever imposed on a licensed venue in NSW — ILGA has placed extraordinary special conditions on the club’s licence, including, for the first time, a around-the-clock responsible gambling marshall to monitor gaming areas for signs of problem gambling and to engage with patrons showing signs of a gambling addiction.
In another first, it also ordered Dee Why RSL to set up a third-party exclusion scheme so family and friends of a problem gambler can apply to have the person banned from the club.
Prior to Mr Van Duinen’s death, his wife, Sonia Van Duinen, and his mother Joy, had appealed to a manager at Dee Why RSL to help curb his extravagant gambling.
His wife told Liquor & Gaming NSW: “Gary, since becoming a diamond member, was treated like royalty by the club. He enjoyed it.”
ILGA chair, Philip Crawford, said the record penalty against the club was justified given its failure to help Mr Van Duinen.
“Mr Van Duinen died in tragic circumstances,” Mr Crawford said.
“His heavy gambling occurred at a club that was giving him special treatment while failing to recognise his problem, despite having extensive data to do so.”
Mr Crawford said the club’s selection of Mr Van Duinen to receive special “high roller” benefits like harbour cruises “was found likely to encourage the misuse and abuse of gambling”.
“This contravened both gaming machines and registered clubs’ legislation,” he said.
When contacted for comment today, the club said in a statement: “Dee Why RSL is in the process of reviewing the decision.”
In 2018, following Mr Van Duinen’s death, the club announced a string of changes including the removal of reserved parking as part of its gambling awards program.
It also reviewed and restructured its gaming department, with the club’s executive manager for gaming departing.
In a statement released to the Manly Daily at the time, the club announced it had also introduced a new emphasis on funding activities associated with mental health and addiction support as an enhancement to its Community Grants program.
* Those in need of help can call Lifeline 131 114 or beyondblue 1300 224 636 or visit lifeline.org.au or beyondblue.org.au